Howard Hodgkin

Howard Hodgkin was a British painter and printmaker whose impressive body of work is considered a prime example of post-war modern art from the Islands. 

Biography of Howard Hodgkin

Born in 1932 in London, Gordon Howard Eliot Hodgkin grew up in a highly educated and esteemed family. His father managed a chemical company and was a recognized amateur horticulturist, while his mother was a botanical illustrator. During World War II, Howard Hodgkin, with his mother and sister, were evacuated to the USA, where they resided in New York. Upon returning to the UK, he received his education at Eton College and later at Bryanston School in Dorset. He pursued further studies at the Camberwell Art School and the Bath Academy of Art in Corsham.

From an early age, Hodgkin was resolute in dedicating himself entirely to art, even running away from school to pursue this passion. Despite obstacles, he had his first solo exhibition in London in 1962. His earlier works from the 1950s and 1960s depicted stylized figurative scenes and landscapes that conveyed specific emotional experiences and significant personal interactions through his distinct visual language. Around the early 1970s, Hodgkin's style transitioned into greater spontaneity, featuring vaguely recognizable shapes rendered in vivid colors and bold forms. These works could be described as semi-abstract, often drawing comparisons to Henri Matisse's paintings.

In 1980, John Hoyland invited Hodgkin to participate in the Hayward Annual at the Hayward Gallery, marking a pivotal point in his burgeoning career. In 1984, he represented Britain at the Venice Biennale, followed by winning the Turner Prize in 1985. Official recognition reached its zenith in 1992 with his knighthood. A decade later, Queen Elizabeth II honored him as a Companion of Honor. In 2006, a major exhibition of his work was showcased at Tate Britain. 

Throughout the years, Hodgkin became renowned for his vividly-hued paintings that documented his personal experiences, establishing a recognizable consistency. This inclination for constancy extended to another facet of his work—hand-painted etchings crafted over the last 25 years in collaboration with the same master printer and print publisher.

Hodgkin's art has been exhibited at esteemed institutions like Tate Britain, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Museum of Modern Art in Oxford. While he belonged to the generation of artists who rose to prominence in the late 1950s and early 1960s, alongside figures like David Hockney and Peter Blake, Hodgkin remained engaged, focused, and precise in his practice despite achieving success later.

The artist passed away in 2017 in London. His exceptional contribution to the post-war modern art movement holds immense significance, and a comprehensive understanding of his work remains a subject of ongoing exploration.